U.S. patent number 7,773,974 [Application Number 11/236,516] was granted by the patent office on 2010-08-10 for presence lite.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Verizon Services Corp.. Invention is credited to Piotr Kajetan Boni, Gregory Wayne Cermak, Aaron Joseph Dagen, Beth Shelley Davis, David Anthony Fay, Elizabeth Louise Fuller, Eric Andrew Goodheart, Douglas Reynold Jones, Joanne Snare LaCourse, Margaret Malagon, Dermot Anthony Murray, Timothy Wayne Schmidt, Ann Wander Shaub, Sandra Kelly Teare.
United States Patent |
7,773,974 |
Cermak , et al. |
August 10, 2010 |
Presence lite
Abstract
A service is provided to cell phone subscribers to improve
reachability. A home location register node maintains state
information on a subscriber's cell phone status. Cell phone status
information includes: off; on, registered and available to receive
calls; on, registered but busy participating in an ongoing call;
on, registered but temporarily unavailable; and on, registered but
unattended. Temporarily unavailable is further qualified: poor
reception location, high interference, cell throughput saturation,
intentional user disposition. Long term unavailability may also be
inferred and indicated depending on the device and/or system
status. When a call to a subscriber's cell phone cannot be
completed or is not answered, the service annunciates the reason to
the calling party. The calling party can then make a more informed
decision as to when to reattempt the call and is more likely to
reattempt the call. The service is provided in conjunction with
call forwarding to landlines phones and/or voicemail.
Inventors: |
Cermak; Gregory Wayne (Needham,
MA), Jones; Douglas Reynold (Medford, NJ), Schmidt;
Timothy Wayne (Wilton, CT), Teare; Sandra Kelly
(Needham, MA), Goodheart; Eric Andrew (Brighton, MA),
Malagon; Margaret (Gulph Mills, PA), Fuller; Elizabeth
Louise (Waltham, MA), Dagen; Aaron Joseph (Brooklyn,
NY), Fay; David Anthony (Still River, MA), Boni; Piotr
Kajetan (Providence, RI), Davis; Beth Shelley (Acton,
MA), Murray; Dermot Anthony (Mount Vernon, NY), Shaub;
Ann Wander (Gaithersburg, MD), LaCourse; Joanne Snare
(Hudson, MA) |
Assignee: |
Verizon Services Corp.
(Ashburn, VA)
|
Family
ID: |
42536611 |
Appl.
No.: |
11/236,516 |
Filed: |
September 28, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
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60629158 |
Nov 18, 2004 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
455/413;
455/414.1; 455/412.1; 455/417; 455/421 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04L
67/24 (20130101); H04M 3/42374 (20130101); H04M
3/54 (20130101); H04M 3/436 (20130101); H04M
3/533 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H04M
11/10 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;455/414.1,415,417,412.2 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Beamer; Temica M
Parent Case Text
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent
Application Ser. No. 60/629,158 filed on Nov. 18, 2004, titled:
"PRESENCE LITE".
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method for servicing a call from a calling party to a cellular
telephone corresponding to a called party, the method comprising:
operating a device in a communications network to detect a call to
said cellular telephone; operating said device to determine from
stored telephone status information the status of said cellular
telephone, wherein at least a portion of said stored information
other than the registration was stored prior to detecting the call;
when the call is not successfully completed to the called party,
operating said device to communicate called party state information
to the calling party; operating said device to store telephone
state information corresponding to the called party's cellular
phone based on a registration signal automatically sent to a base
station from the called party's cellular phone upon the called
party's cellular phone being powered on; and operating said device
to forward the detected call to voice mail when said telephone
state information indicates that the called cellular telephone is
registered but is not reachable for an extended period of time,
said extended period of time being at least 10 minutes.
2. A method for servicing a call from a calling party to a cellular
telephone corresponding to a called party, the method comprising:
operating a device in a communications network to detect a call to
said cellular telephone; operating said device to determine from
stored telephone status information the status of said cellular
telephone indicating that the cellular telephone is busy with an
ongoing call and the cellular telephone is on, wherein at least a
portion of said stored information other than the registration was
stored prior to detecting the call; and when the call is not
successfully completed to the called party, operating said device
to communicate called party state information to the calling party,
said step of operating said device to communicate including:
inferring, as a function of stored information indicating a time of
a last successfully completed voice call in which the cellular
telephone was involved, that the called party is temporarily
unavailable and is temporarily away from their cellular telephone;
providing an audio message indicating the inferred state of the
called party to the calling party; and communicating information
indicating that the cellular telephone is on, the called party is
temporarily unavailable, that the cellular telephone is busy with
an ongoing call, and that the called party is temporarily away from
their cellular telephone.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein said inference includes
determining that the called party is temporarily away from their
cellular telephone if said detected call is within a predetermined
amount of time from the time of said last successfully completed
voice call.
4. A method for servicing a call from a calling party to a cellular
telephone corresponding to a called party, the method comprising:
operating a device in a communications network to detect a call to
said cellular telephone; operating said device to determine from
stored telephone status information the status of said cellular
telephone, including indicating whether the cellular telephone is
subject to poor reception; and wherein at least a portion of said
stored information other than the registration was stored prior to
detecting the call; and when the call is not successfully completed
to the called party, operating said device to communicate called
party state information to the calling party, said step of
operating said device to communicate including: inferring, as a
function of the reception quality indicated by said stored state
information, the state of the called party from the stored
telephone status information; providing an audio message indicating
the inferred state of the called party to the calling party; and
communicating information indicating the status of the cellular
telephone to the calling party.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein when the cellular telephone
status information indicates that the cellular telephone is subject
to poor reception, said step of inferring the state of the called
party includes examining time information associated with said
reception state information to determine the length of time the
cellular phone has been unable to receive calls due to poor
reception; and wherein it is inferred that the called party is
temporarily unavailable when the determined length of time the
cellular phone has been unavailable is below a threshold amount of
time.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of communicating the
inferred state of the called party includes communicating that the
called party is temporarily unavailable when it is inferred that
the called party is temporarily unavailable; and wherein
communicating the status of the cellular telephone includes
indicating that the cellular telephone is subject to poor reception
when the stored state information indicates that the call can not
be completed due to poor reception.
7. A method for servicing a call from a calling party to a cellular
telephone corresponding to a called party, the method comprising:
operating a device in a communications network to detect a call to
said cellular telephone; operating said device to determine from
stored telephone status information the status of said cellular
telephone indicating that the cellular telephone is subject to
system capacity limitations which will not permit the call to be
completed, wherein at least a portion of said stored information
other than the registration was stored prior to detecting the call;
and when the call is not successfully completed to the called
party, operating said device to communicate called party state
information to the calling party, said step of operating said
device to communicate including: inferring from the stored
telephone status information that the called party is temporarily
unavailable; providing an audio message indicating the inferred
state of the called party to the calling party; and communicating
information indicating the status of the cellular telephone to the
calling party, including that the called party is temporarily
unavailable and system overloading which prevents calls from being
completed to the cell phone.
8. A method for servicing a call from a calling party to a cellular
telephone corresponding to a called party, the method comprising:
operating a device in a communications network to detect a call to
said cellular telephone; operating said device to determine-from
stored telephone status information the status of said cellular
telephone indicating that the cellular telephone is subject to
signal interference, wherein at least a portion of said stored
information other than the registration was stored prior to
detecting the call; and when the call is not successfully completed
to the called party, operating said device to communicate called
party state information to the calling party, said step of
operating said device to communicate including: inferring from the
stored telephone status information that the state of the called
party is that the called party is temporarily unavailable;
providing an audio message indicating the inferred state of the
called party to the calling party; communicating to the calling
party information indicating that the called party is temporarily
unavailable; and indicating that the cellular telephone is subject
to signal interference.
9. A method for servicing a call from a calling party to a cellular
telephone corresponding to a called party, the method comprising:
operating a device in a communications network to detect detecting
a call to said cellular telephone; operating said device to
determine from stored telephone status information, including
indicating the time of the last completed telephone call in which
said cellular telephone was used, the status of said cellular
telephone, wherein at least a portion of said stored information
other than the registration was stored prior to detecting the call;
and when the call is not successfully completed to the called
party, operating said device to communicate called party state
information to the calling party, said step of operating said
device to communicate including: inferring the state of the called
party from the stored telephone status information; and providing
an audio message indicating the inferred state of the called party
to the calling party.
10. A method for servicing a call from a calling party to a
cellular telephone corresponding to a called party, the method
comprising: operating a device in a communications network to
detect a call to said cellular telephone; operating said device to
determine from stored telephone status information the status of
said cellular telephone, wherein at least a portion of said stored
information other than the registration was stored prior to
detecting the call; and when the call is not successfully completed
to the called party, operating said device to communicate called
party state information to the calling party, said step of
operating said device to communicate including: inferring the state
of the called party from the stored telephone status information,
including as a function of stored information indicating the time
of the last successfully completed telephone call in which the
cellular telephone was used; providing an audio message indicating
the inferred state of the called party to the calling party; and
communicating information indicating the status of the cellular
telephone to the calling party.
11. The method of claim 7, wherein said inference includes
determining that the called party is temporarily unavailable from
their cellular telephone when said last successfully completed
telephone call is within a predetermined amount of time from the
time of said detected telephone call.
12. A method for servicing a call from a calling party to a
cellular telephone corresponding to a called party, the method
comprising: operating a device in a communications network to
detect a call to said cellular telephone; operating said device to
determine from stored telephone status information the status of
said cellular telephone, wherein at least a portion of said stored
information other than the registration was stored prior to
detecting the call; when the call is not successfully completed to
the called party, operating said device to communicate called party
state information to the calling party; and operating said device
to update said stored set of telephone status information when a
change in the operational status of said cellular telephone is
detected, said updating including storing information indicating
the time the cellular telephone became unavailable due to poor
reception or signal interference.
13. A method for servicing a call from a calling party to a
cellular telephone corresponding to a called party, the method
comprising: operating a device in a communications network to
detect a call to said cellular telephone; operating said device to
determine from stored telephone status information the status of
said cellular telephone, wherein at least a portion of said stored
information other than the registration was stored prior to
detecting the call; when the call is not successfully completed to
the called party, operating said device to communicate called party
state information to the calling party; and operating said device
to update said stored set of telephone status information to
indicate a time a voice call originating from said cellular
telephone or a voice call terminating at said cellular telephone is
successfully completed following an exchange of at least some voice
signals through said cellular telephone as part of the successfully
completed call.
14. The method of claim 1, wherein said device is a home location
register.
15. The method of claim 2, wherein said device is a home location
register.
16. The method of claim 4, wherein said device is a home location
register.
17. The method of claim 7, wherein said device is a home location
register.
18. The method of claim 8, wherein said device is a home location
register.
19. The method of claim 9, wherein said device is a home location
register.
20. The method of claim 10, wherein said device is a home location
register.
21. The method of claim 12, wherein said device is a home location
register.
22. The method of claim 13, wherein said device is a home location
register.
Description
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for
forwarding telephone calls and, in particular, to methods and
apparatus for determining the status of a called cellular
telephone.
BACKGROUND
When a caller places a call to a cell phone which is on, the call
is normally routed through a base station acting as an access
point. If the call fails to reach a called party, the caller
generally receives an indication as to whether the called party is
on the phone, i.e., whether the phone is busy or not as reflected
in a busy signal or multiple unanswered rings. The call, if it is
not successfully completed to the called party, may be transferred
to voicemail which may replay a pre-recorded message, e.g., a daily
message, on the status of the called party, e.g., "I am in the
office today", etc. This information is similar to some "presence"
information that may be conveyed in instant messaging. Also, in
implementations including versions of the Find Me, Follow Me (FMFM)
service concept, known in the art, the caller is given information
about the busy status of additional phones, to which the original
call may be transferred, as a call is forwarded from one phone to
the next in a predefined call transfer sequence.
While existing systems provide some information when a call is not
answered or completed, it would be desirable if methods and
apparatus were available for a caller to be able to obtain
additional "presence-like" information regarding the called party.
In particular, it would be advantageous if the calling party could
obtain detailed status information regarding the called cellular
telephone. For example, if the caller originally places a call to a
cellular telephone, it would be desirable for the caller to know if
the called cellular telephone is off or on, in addition to whether
the called cellular phone is on and busy. In addition, it would be
beneficial if called cell phone status information that further
qualifies the called cell phone "on" state was available to be
provided to the calling party, e.g., "on but currently inaccessible
due to system constraints," "on but inaccessible due to called
party decision," "on but unattended," "on and busy."
Methods and apparatus that facilitate the availability of such
additional information to the calling party would provide the
benefit of increasing the likelihood that a caller will decide to
call back or leave a message. By providing the caller with detailed
called party cell phone status, the caller would then be able make
a more informed decision as to when the next calling attempt should
be undertaken. Thus, the calling party may no longer feel that
he/she is wasting time by making futile calling attempts and the
calling party is less likely to become quickly frustrated and
abandon calling attempts. In addition, the calling party may be
more likely to be in an agreeable mood and be more pleased with the
called party, e.g., when a successful call is completed.
Furthermore, some cellular telephone users, e.g., salespeople, job
seekers, lonely individuals, etc., would find it highly desirable
and beneficial from a financial and/or social perspective to
receive more calls from people who have their cellular telephone
numbers. Methods and apparatus that provide feedback on a cellular
phone's status to the calling party would tend to encourage the
calling party to try again, if currently unsuccessful. Such
cellular telephone users would be predisposed to subscribe to such
a service provided by a service provider as either an individual
add-on service or as part of a wider service package, thus having a
tendency to increase revenues and/or customer base for a service
provider offering such a feature.
SUMMARY OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention is directed to methods and apparatus used to
maintain status information on cellular telephones, determine the
current status of a called cellular telephone, and provide such
determined status information to the calling party. Features of the
present invention are in some embodiments, implemented in
conjunction with call forwarding implementations. Such
implementations may include call forwarding to landline phones
and/or voicemail services.
Various systems and methods, implemented in accordance with the
present invention, are directed to the problem of reaching an
individual when calling a cell phone number, particularly when the
called party's cellular telephone is not getting proper reception
or is turned off. By re-routing a call directed to a cell phone to
a landline number at times, in accordance with one feature of some
embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to save money
and/or provide better speech quality than would have been possible
had the call been routed through the cellular telephone as
requested. One cause for redirection to a landline phone can be
inability to complete and/or maintain the call to the cell phone
due to poor reception. In some embodiments, at least some calls
placed to cell phones are intentionally redirected, in accordance
with the present invention, to landline phones when the called cell
phone is not getting proper reception. In some embodiments, at
least some calls placed to cell phones which could have been
completed to the cell phone, are intentionally redirected, in
accordance with the present invention, to landline phones as a
function of called cell phone operator commands. In some
embodiments, the redirection commands may be issued prior to the
call being placed. In some embodiments, redirections commands are
issued and implemented at the time the placed call is ringing the
called cell phone.
Some existing wireless networks detect the basic operational status
of a cell phone, i.e., off, on, or busy, and on the basis of such
detected status information can perform operations such as routing
calls. Various novel systems and methods, in accordance with the
present invention, take advantage of such available information and
functionality by reporting such status information to callers;
routing calls to another network or to voicemail may be performed
in conjunction with the called cell phone status reporting to the
calling party. Further, in some embodiments, an alerting function
notifies the called party, at a later time when the called party
becomes available, that an incoming call has been missed. In some
embodiments, such notifications include indications as to whether
or not called party status information had been provided to the
calling party and may also include the status information if such
information was provided.
Some embodiments of the present invention include additional
features and enhancements directed to detecting, collecting and
reporting additional information on the status of a called cell
phone. One novel feature informs a caller with detailed status as
to the called party's cellular telephone. For example, the
information may include whether the called party's cellular
telephone phone is off, on but busy, on but temporarily
unavailable, or on but unattended. The
on-but-temporarily-unavailable information may be provided where
temporary signal loss is detected, e.g., as in the case of signal
interference or loss due to change in position. In addition, the
on-but-temporarily-unavailable status can, in some embodiments, be
further qualified in terms of temporarily unavailable due to system
issues or temporarily unavailable due to a called party's
intentional choice. For example,
temporarily-unavailable-due-to-system-conditions may include:
unavailable due to poor reception due to cell phone location in a
dead spot, unavailable due to poor reception due to high
interference levels, and unavailable due to scheduling conflicts,
e.g., capacity saturation within the called party's currently
located cell. An example of temporarily unavailable due to user
selection can include a called party in an important meeting
responding to his/her ringing cell phone by recognizing the calling
party via caller ID and intentionally performing an input operation
on his/her cell phone to initiate a transfer of the incoming call
to voicemail, so as not to disrupt the in progress meeting. Another
example, of temporarily unavailable due to a user selection can
include a called party intentionally performing an input operation
on his/her cell phone which is known to initiate a call transfer to
a landline phone, the landline phone being at the same location at
which the called party is currently located.
In various embodiments of the present invention, the caller may
infer the state of the called party from the information provided
on the state of the called cellular telephone. This information
provided can influence the calling party's decision as to when to
attempt to again initiate the call. Further, in various
embodiments, calls to a cellular telephone may be transferred to a
landline phone, and/or voicemail, if the call is not completed to
the cellular telephone. In some embodiments, the transfer and/or
reason for transfer is announced to the caller, who can then accept
or break off the call as he or she chooses.
In accordance with various embodiments of the invention, the amount
of time a user has been unreachable can be used for making the
inference as to whether the user is temporarily unreachable as
opposed to unreachable for an extended period of time. The amount
of time the user has been unreachable along with the reason the
user has been unreachable can, and in various embodiments is,
communicated to the calling party. This information can be
communicated with information indicating whether it has been
inferred that the called party is temporarily unreachable or is
expected to be unreachable for an extended period of time.
Temporary unreachability may be in the time frame of a few minutes
or under in hour while long term unreachability, in some
embodiments, is communicated when the called party is expected,
based on the available state information, to be unreachable for an
hour or more.
User unavailability for an extended period of time, e.g., more than
a threshold period which can be specified by the user in some
embodiments or set by the system, results in an inference that the
called party's unavailability is long term. However, in the case of
the unavailability have only just occurred or having a duration
less than the predetermined threshold, it is usually inferred, if
the called party's cell phone is registered, that the
unavailability is temporary. Thus, while the called party may be
unavailable for a particular reason, additional information, such
as the duration for which the called party has been unavailable,
can produce an inference of temporary or long term unavailability.
In the case of an inference of temporary unavailability this is
usually communicated to the calling party by an announcement that
the called party is "temporarily unavailable" with the reason being
communicated in the same message to the caller. In the case of
inferred long term unavailability, the caller may be notified that
the party is unavailable with the reason that the called party is
unavailable, e.g., the calling party may receive an audio
announcement that "the called party is currently unavailable due to
signal interference". The amount of time the called party has been
unavailable due to the particular condition may also be
communicated to the calling party in the case of an inference of
either temporary or long term unavailability because of a
particular condition. For example, the calling party may be played
the message "the called party is unavailable due to signal
interference and has been unavailable for the last 5 minutes".
Reporting of called cell phone status information, routing calls,
and alerting, in accordance with the present invention may occur
after a cellular telephone user has registered with the wireless
network. In some embodiments this registration occurs manually,
i.e., the cell phone user calls in to the network and enters an
access code or performs some similar steps in order to achieve
registration.
In some embodiments, registration is performed automatically by the
wireless cellular network, e.g., as part of ongoing housekeeping
functions. By avoiding a manual registration cell phone user
operation is simplified and encouraged.
In one exemplary automatic registration process of a cellular
telephone, in an exemplary wireless communications network,
performed following cell phone power on, includes operating the
cell phone to send, e.g., periodically, a registration request
signal. If a local base station receives the registration request
signal and determines that the signal quality is sufficient to
establish a wireless communication link, the base station may in
turn send a reply signal to the wireless terminal signifying that
the cell phone is being accepted for registration and may use the
base station as its point of network attachment. The Base station
then also signals the cell phone's Home location register (HLR)
Node that the cellular telephone is activated and capable of
receiving signals, which could in turn enable an interconnection
between the cellular and landline networks for the activated cell
phone.
The base station may determine temporary changes in reachability
status of the cell phone based upon information derived from
received signals, and/or the lack of a received signal from the
cell phone. Other changes in temporary reachability status may
include the base station scheduler denying a cell phone access,
e.g., due to heavy scheduling requirements. Changes in reachability
status of the cell phone as determined by the base station are, in
some embodiments, forwarded to the home location register node
where the state information corresponding to the cell phone is
updated. Different mechanisms may be used for the forwarding of
changes in reachability status of the cell phone from the base
station's, e.g., as a change is observed, periodically, and/or
based on a request from the Home location register node. The
request from the Home location register node can be made in
response to a received request to complete a call.
When a cell phone user moves to a new cell and decides to use a
different base station as its point of network attachment, the cell
phone may automatically register via the new base station,
resulting in the new base station signaling the cell phone's Home
location register node to record the new registration information
which will replace the previously recorded registration
information.
In some embodiments, as part of a service offered to cell phone
users, a user's cell phone status information maintained, e.g., in
the Home location register Node, is made available, and provided to
calling parties when a call cannot be completed to the called
party. In some embodiments, a user's cell phone status information
maintained, e.g., in the Home location register Node, is made
available, and provided to calling parties when a call cannot be
completed to the called party, and as part of a service available
to users at least some called party cell phone status information,
is restricted from being forwarded to at least some calling
parties, e.g., as part of a cell phone status blocking service
offered to cell phone users.
Some embodiments include a call-logging function. Some embodiments
include making information available to callers in real time or
near real time. Some embodiments include incorporation with a phone
activity monitor (PAM) such as is known to those skilled in the
art, compatibility with 802.11 networks, and smart handsets.
In some embodiments various services and/or features, in accordance
with the present invention, are employed in applications including
group subscriptions to a service provider. For example, a small
business could subscribe to various called party cell phone status
and inference services in accordance with the present invention so
that calls from one person to another in the same company could
carry this additional information, e.g., messages providing
additional information and inferences on the status of the called
party relating to a reason why a placed call to a cell phone is not
successfully completed or answered. In some embodiments of the
present invention involving group subscriptions, the group
comprises a set of family members. In some other embodiments of the
present invention involving group subscriptions, the group
comprises a group of individuals that have authorized a common
association. In some such embodiments involving group
subscriptions, presence lite information relating to members, in
accordance with the present invention, would be provided to valid
calling numbers corresponding to other group members but not to
other callers. Screening lists are established and maintained to
support such functionality.
Numerous additional features, benefits and embodiments are
described in the detailed description which follows.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES
FIG. 1 is a drawing of an exemplary system implemented in
accordance with the present invention and using methods of the
present invention.
FIG. 2 is a drawing of an exemplary Home location register node
implemented in accordance with the present invention and using
methods of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a drawing of an exemplary Central Office implemented in
accordance with the present invention and using methods of the
present invention.
FIG. 4 is a drawing of an exemplary cell phone, e.g., mobile node,
implemented in accordance with the present invention and using
methods of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a drawing of an exemplary base station (access node),
implemented in accordance with the present invention and using
methods of the present invention.
FIG. 6 illustrates the various steps of an exemplary embodiment of
the communications service of the present invention which can be
used to service cell phone calls.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart of an exemplary method of operating a home
location register node in accordance with the present
invention.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart of an exemplary method of operating a cell
phone, e.g., mobile node, in accordance with the present
invention.
FIG. 9 illustrates a database of cellular phone state information
which is maintained and used in accordance with various embodiments
of the invention.
FIG. 10 illustrates a routine for inferring the state of a called
party in accordance with one exemplary embodiment of the invention
from status information maintained in the exemplary database of
FIG. 9.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 is a drawing of an exemplary system 100 implemented in
accordance with the present invention and using methods implemented
in accordance with the present invention. System 100 includes a
wireless cellular communications network 102 and a landline
communications network 104. The wireless cellular communications
network 102 includes a plurality of base stations (BS 1 106, BS N
108), with each base station (106, 108) having a corresponding
wireless cellular coverage area represented as a cell (cell 1 110,
cell N 112), respectively. Wireless cellular communication system
102 also includes a plurality of cell phones, e.g., mobile nodes
(MN 1 114, MN 2 116, MN 3 118, MN 4 120, MN 5 122, MN N 124, MN 1'
128, MN 2' 130, MN 3' 132, MN 4' 134, MN 5' 136, MN N' 138, which
may move throughout the system 102. A cell phone within a base
station's cell may register with the base station and use that base
station as its access point or point of network attachment.
In exemplary wireless cellular communications network 102 as
illustrated in FIG. 1, MNs 1-N (114, 116, 118, 120, 122, 124) are
located within cell 1 110. MNs can be in different states of
operation at different times. MN 1 114 represents an exemplary cell
phone which is located in cell 1 110, but is not powered on and is
not currently registered to use BS 1 106 as its point of network
attachment. MN 2 116 represents an exemplary cell phone which is in
the process of registering to use BS 1 106 as its point of network
attachment and is coupled to BS 1 106 via wireless link 140. MN 3
118 represents an exemplary cell phone which is currently
registered to use BS 1 106 as its point of network attachment, is
coupled to BS 1 106 via wireless link 142, and is currently
available to receive an incoming call. MN 3 118 may or may not be
attended to at the present time, which can also influence whether
or not a call can be completed to MN 3 118. MN 4 120 represents an
exemplary cell phone which is currently registered to use BS 1 106
as its point of network attachment, is coupled to BS 1 106 via
wireless link 144, and is temporarily unavailable to receive an
incoming call, e.g., due to poor reception. MN 5 122 represents an
exemplary cell phone which is currently registered to use BS 1 106
as its point of network attachment, is coupled to BS 1 106 via
wireless link 146, and is unavailable to receive an incoming call
because MN 5 is currently busy participating in an ongoing call. MN
N 124 represents another exemplary cell phone which may be in any
arbitrary state of operation, and when coupled to BS 1 106 is
coupled via wireless link 148.
In exemplary wireless cellular communications network 102 as
illustrated in FIG. 1, MNs 1'-N' (128, 130, 132, 134, 136, 138) are
located within cell N 112. MN 1' 128 represents an exemplary cell
phone which is located in cell N 112, but is not powered on and is
not currently registered to use BS N 108 as its point of network
attachment. MN 2' 130 represents an exemplary cell phone which is
in the process of registering to use BS N 108 as its point of
network attachment and is coupled to BS N 108 via wireless link
150. MN 3' 132 represents an exemplary cell phone which is
currently registered to use BS N 108 as its point of network
attachment, is coupled to BS N 108 via wireless link 152, and is
currently available to receive an incoming call. MN 3' 132 may or
may not be attended to at the present time, which can also
influence whether or not a call can be completed to MN 3' 132. MN
4' 134 represents an exemplary cell phone which is currently
registered to use BS N 108 as its point of network attachment, is
coupled to BS N 108 via wireless link 154, and is temporarily
unavailable to receive an incoming call, e.g., due to poor
reception. MN 5' 136 represents an exemplary cell phone which is
currently registered to use BS N 108 as its point of network
attachment, is coupled to BS N 108 via wireless link 156, and is
unavailable to receive an incoming call because MN 5' 136 is
currently busy participating in an ongoing call. MN N' 138
represents another exemplary cell phone which may be in any
arbitrary state of operation, and when coupled to BS N 108 is
coupled via wireless link 158.
Base stations (106, 108) are coupled to a network node 160, e.g., a
router, via network links (162, 164), respectively. Network node
160, is coupled to a home location register node 166 via network
link 168. Home location register node 166 maintains state
information on each of a plurality of mobile nodes, e.g., storing
information on whether or not the mobile node is currently
registered, storing information identifying the base station being
currently used as the point of network attachment when registered,
and storing information on the operational status of mobile nodes.
In accordance with one feature of the present invention,
operational status state information on a called cell phone can be
returned to the calling party when a call cannot be completed.
Network node 160 is also coupled to a network interface node 170
via network link 172. Network interface node 170 may perform
protocol conversions and provide network edge security functions.
Networks links (162, 164, 168, 172) may be, e.g., fiber optic
cables.
System 100 also includes a landline communications network 104.
Landline communications network 104 includes a plurality of Central
Offices (Central Office 1 174, Central Office N 176). Central
Office 1 174 is coupled to a plurality of landline telephone
devices (landline telephone 1 178, landline telephone N 180) via
links (182, 184), respectively. Central Office N 176 is coupled to
a plurality of landline telephone devices (landline telephone 1'
186, landline telephone N' 188) via links (190, 192), respectively.
Links (182, 184, 190, 192) may be, e.g., Plain Old Telephone
Service (POTS) Cu lines. Central Offices (174, 176) are coupled to
network node 193, e.g., a router, via network links 194, 195,
respectively. Network node 193 is coupled to network interface node
196 via network link 197. Network interface node 196 may perform
protocol conversion operations and provide network boundary
security functions. Network interface node 196 is coupled to
network interface node 170 via network link 198 coupling the
landline communications network 104 with the wireless cellular
communications network 102. Network links (194, 195, 197, 198) may
be, e.g., fiber optic links.
FIG. 2 is a drawing of an exemplary home location register node 200
implemented in accordance with the present invention and using
methods implemented according to the present invention. Exemplary
home location register node 200 may be the home location register
node 166 of FIG. 1. Home location register node 200 includes an I/O
interface 202, a processor 204, and memory 206 coupled together via
bus 208 over which the various elements may interchange data and
information. Memory 206 includes routines 210 and data/information
212. The processor 204, e.g., a CPU, executes the routines 210 and
uses the data/information 212 to control the operation of the home
location register node 200 and implement methods of the present
invention.
Routines 210 includes a registration module 214, a status update
processing module 216, a communications module 218, a call
transfer/status module 220, an alerting module 222, and an
established call forwarding module 224. Data/information 212
includes mobile node information 226 including a plurality of sets
of mobile node information (MN 1 information 228, MN M information
230). Each set of MN info (228, 230) corresponds to one of the
mobile nodes in the wireless communications system for which the
home location register node is responsible to store state
information (e.g., the address of the current point of network
attachment). New incoming calls directed to a mobile node are
routed based on information in the home location register node. The
incoming calls may be from another mobile node or a landline
communications device. In some embodiments, multiple home location
register nodes 200 are used in the wireless communications system
with the full set of mobile nodes being divided among the plurality
of home location register nodes 200. In some systems, base stations
include home location register functionality described with respect
to node 200 and serve as the home location register for a set of
mobile nodes.
MN 1 information 228 includes state information 232, received
registration/status messages 234, received call establishment
signals 236, call establishment signals to base station 237, MN
status messages 238, call transfer/status messages 240, missed call
information 242, and user voice/data signals 244. State information
232 includes cell phone number/identification information 245,
registered attachment point information 246, current status
information 248, landline forwarding information 250, and, in some
embodiments, blocking information 252.
Registration module 214 receives registration/status messages 234
from base stations, e.g., each time a mobile node whose home
location register is home location register node 200, requests
registration and is accepted for registration by a base station.
The mobile node may have been powered on and registered to use one
particular base station as its point of network attachment but has
now moved into a new cell and seeks to register with a new base
station to obtain a new point of attachment to the network. As
another possibility, the mobile node may have been previously
powered off and just powered up, and the registration process is
part on an automatic initialization process. Registration module
214 obtains received registration/status messages 234. The
registration module 214 processes the message 234 identifying the
mobile node and stores state information included in the message,
e.g., registered attachment point information 246 and current
status information 248. Registered attachment point information 246
may include an identifier identifying the specific base station in
the wireless system and an address associated with that base
station for use in forwarding. Current status information 248 that
may be included in message 234 includes, e.g., information
indicating that the MN 1 is powered on and available to receive
incoming calls.
Status update processing module 216 receives MN status messages 238
from the base stations of already registered mobile nodes
indicating changes in mobile node status. Status update processing
module 216 updates registered attachment point information 246
and/or current status information 248 based on received MN status
messages 238. The MN status message 238 may indicate that the
currently registered base station has not received any signaling
from MN 1 for a specified timeout interval and the base station has
decided to de-register MN 1 and consider it off. As another
example, the MN status message 238 may indicate that MN 1 is still
registered with the same BS, but is temporarily unavailable to
receive incoming calls, e.g., due to poor reception resulting from
the location of MN 1 and/or system interference levels. Another
exemplary MN status message may indicate that MN 1 is still
registered with the same BS, but is temporarily unavailable to
receive incoming calls, e.g., due to cell capacity levels being
exceeded. As still another example, the MN status message may
indicate that MN 1 is still registered with the same BS, but is
temporarily unavailable to receive incoming calls, e.g., due to MN
1 user selection to redirect the call, e.g., to a landline or
answering service. An exemplary MN status message may indicate that
a call has been established and is in progress, so the mobile node
is considered busy. After a call has terminated, an MN message 238
may indicate that the call has terminated and that the MN is now
available to receive new incoming calls.
Communications module 218 performs operations including processing
signals including requests to establish a new call with one of the
mobile nodes for which node 200 is serving home location register
functionality. A received call establishment message 236 is a
request to complete a call to a specific MN, e.g., identified by
phone number/ID matching the MN state information phone number/ID,
e.g. MN 1 cell phone number/ID info 245. The originating device may
be a landline communication device, e.g., phone from a landline
communications network or another mobile node, e.g., another cell
phone from the same or a different wireless cellular communications
network. Communications module 218 checks the state information,
associated with the requested called party mobile node, e.g., MN 1
state info 232. If the called mobile node is currently registered
with a base station and the current status information indicates
that the mobile node is available to receive an incoming call, then
the communications module 218 can attempt to complete the call by
sending call establishment signals 237 to the mobile node's
registered base station. Assuming that the call is answered by the
called party, the home location register node can change the
current status information 248 to indicate that the called mobile
node is now registered, on and busy due to an in progress call. The
communications module 218 can notify the established call
forwarding module 224 to direct user voice/data signals 244 to the
address of the base station to which the called MN is currently
registered. The established call forwarding module 224 redirects
user voice/data signals 244 for established calls as per stored MN
state information. In some embodiments and/or under some
conditions, the communications module 218 as part of completing a
call will notify the calling party of the address of the registered
base station corresponding to the called MN, and the user
voice/data signals may be sent directly to the base station without
traversing the home location register node 200.
If the communications module 218 when checking the state
information, associated with the requested called party mobile
node, e.g., MN 1 state info 232, determines the call cannot be
completed to the called party, the communications module can direct
operation to the call transfer/status module 220. The call
transfer/status module 220 can send call transfer/status messages
240 toward the calling party. The call transfer/status messages 240
can include state information on the called party mobile node,
e.g., cell phone status. An exemplary call transfer/status message
240 includes information identifying why the call cannot be
completed at the current time, e.g., cell phone is currently
registered but temporarily unavailable due to poor reception. Such
cell phone status information can be played to the calling party.
In addition, in some embodiments, the status information is
accompanied by a transfer operation, e.g., to one or more landline
phone in succession, to voicemail, or to one or more landline
phones in succession and if unsuccessful to voicemail. In some
embodiments, the status of the cell phone and the call transfers
are announced to the caller, who can then break off the call as
he/or she chooses. Landline forwarding information 250 includes
numbers of landline phones and/or voicemail direction information
which the call transfer/status module 220 can use to direct calls
intended for MN 1 which cannot be completed.
In some embodiments, landline forwarding information 250 may
include information identifying that a call or calls from a
specific calling party number should be transferred, e.g., based
upon MN 1's operator's discretion.
In some embodiments, blocking information 252 is included. The
blocking information 252 includes information identifying that
called cell phone status information corresponding to at least some
possible incoming calls to cell phone MN 1 which cannot be
completed should not be forwarded. Various qualifications can be
placed on the restriction of cell phone status information. For
example, the blocking can be implemented for each of the incoming
calls indefinitely until rescinded, or blocking can be implemented
for some fixed designated time interval or intervals. The blocking
can be implemented for: an identified calling party or parties
and/or calling party number or numbers. Blocking information 252
can be used by the call transfer/status module 220 when generating
call transfer/status messages, e.g., supporting a filtering
capability.
In some embodiments and/or under some conditions, the call
transfer/status module 220 does not transfer the incoming call
which cannot be completed to another phone number or voicemail, but
simply sends a message 240 back to the calling party indicating
that the call cannot be completed and including called party cell
phone status information, if permitted in view of the blocking
information.
The alerting module 222 stores missed call information 242, when a
call cannot be completed to an MN. For example, if MN 1 misses an
incoming call, information is stored in missed call information
242. The missed call information 242 include information pertaining
to the missed call, e.g., calling party name, calling party number,
date, time of day, reason for missed call, e.g., line busy, off and
not registered, registered but temporarily unavailable, etc. The
missed call information 242 may also include information
identifying the information presented to the calling party,
redirection information, e.g., redirection phone number(s) and/or
voicemail direction information. In some embodiments, the missed
call information 242 may also include information indicating the
calling party's response, e.g., when the calling party hung up.
When the MN becomes accessible, the alerting module 222 can signal
the MN and notify the MN of the missed call information, such that
the MN can respond if the MN user so desires. In some embodiments,
the alerting module 222 signals the called party that a call is
being missed at the time the call is being missed, if the reason
for the missed call is that the called party is currently busy
participating in a different ongoing call.
FIG. 3 is a drawing of an exemplary Central Office 300, which may
be any of the exemplary central offices (174, 176) of FIG. 1.
Exemplary Central Office 300 includes an I/O network interface
module 302, a POTS interface module 304, a processor 306, and a
memory 308 coupled together via a bus 310 over which the various
elements may interchange data and information. I/O network
interface module 302 interfaces the Central Office 300 to other
network nodes within the landline communications network. POTS
interface module 304 interfaces each of the individual POTS lines
supported by the Central Office to the Central Office 300, thus
providing an I/O interface for a plurality of landline telephone
users. Memory 308 includes routines 312 and data/information 314.
The processor 306, e.g., a CPU, executes the routines 312 and uses
the data/information 314 in memory 308 to control the operation of
the Central Office 300 and implement the methods implemented
according to the present invention.
Routines 312 include a call establishment module 316 and a call
transfer/called party status processing module 318. The call
transfer/called party status processing module 318 includes a cell
number to landline number forwarding module 320, a landline number
to voicemail forwarding module 322, and a called party status
information presentation module 323.
Data/information 314 includes system data/information 324, cell
phone network information 326, and call data/information 328.
System data/information 324 includes a plurality of sets of
landline information (landline 1 information 330, landline N
information 332). Landline 1 information set 330 includes a name
334 associated with the landline billing, a line phone number 336,
and voicemail information 338 associated with the voicemail to
which unanswered calls on landline 1 are redirected, if a voicemail
service is implemented on the landline. Cell phone network
information 326 includes information associated with cellular
networks to which the landline network may be coupled, e.g.,
information that may be used to identify that a call being placed
through a landline phone via POTS interface 304 is being directed
to a cell phone rather than to a landline phone, and information
allowing the identification of the routing to reach the correct
cellular network supporting the called party's cell phone.
Call data/information 328 includes a plurality of sets of call
data/information (call 1 data/information 340, call N
data/information 342). Each set of call information (340, 342)
corresponds to a call attempt originating from one of the POTS
lines supported by Central Office 300. Call 1 data/information 340
includes received call establishment signals from landline phone
344, source information 346, destination information 348, call
establishment signals to home location register 349, received
transfer/called party status messages 350, and called party status
information 352. Received call establishment signals 344 includes
signals received from a landline phone supported by the Central
Office 300 indicating that a call be placed to another phone, e.g.,
a cell phone. Received call establishment signals to home location
register 349 includes call establishment signals sent out from the
Central Office 300 via I/O network interface module 302 and
directed toward the called party, e.g., toward the home location
register node in the wireless cellular network supporting the
called cell phone. Source information 346 includes the calling
party phone number, identity information, and routing information
associated with the calling party. Destination information 348
includes the called party's phone number, and routing information
associated with the called party. The destination information 348
may be changed as a result of the call transfer module 318, e.g.,
when a called cell phone cannot be accessed. Received
transfer/called party status messages 350 includes feedback
messages from the called cell phone's home location register node
provided when the called cell phone cannot be reached and/or
transfer redirection information. Called party status information
352 is extracted from received transfer/called party status
messages 350. Called party status information 352 includes, e.g.,
information identifying whether the called cell phone is on or off,
information conveying registration status, and when the called
phone is on and currently registered but inaccessible, information
indicating the reason for the inaccessibility, e.g., line busy,
called party does not answer call, temporarily inaccessible due to
poor reception, temporarily inaccessible due to user selection,
temporarily inaccessible due to cell capacity saturation. Further
qualification may be placed upon the reason for temporary
inaccessibility due to poor reception, e.g., dead spot, high system
interference level. Further qualification may also be placed upon
the reason for temporary inaccessibility due to user selection,
e.g., automatic transfer to a landline or voicemail, manual
transfer to a landline or voicemail.
Call establishment module 316 receives call establishments signals
344 from the POTS module 304 and generates outgoing call
establishment signals 349 directed toward the called party's home
location register node via I/O interface network module 302, e.g.,
to initiate a communications session set-up. Call transfer/called
party status processing module 318 processes signals received in
response to a requested call to a cell phone which cannot be
completed, e.g., signals including received transfer/called party
status messages 350. The signals received by the call
transfer/called party processing module 318 may also indicate that
the placed call be redirected to another landline phone or phones
and/or voicemail. Cell number to landline number forwarding module
320 handles redirection of an uncompleted call placed to a cell
phone to a landline phone number, e.g., as directed in the received
signaling received from the called cell phone's home location
register node. Landline number to voicemail forwarding module 322
directs a call that is unanswered by a landline phone to a
voicemail corresponding to the landline number, e.g., using the
association provided in a set of landline information, e.g.,
landline 1 information 330.
In some embodiments, the called cell phone's home location register
directs a calling party to a landline phone, and the landline
network does further redirection if the call goes unanswered by the
landline number. In other embodiments, the cell phone's home
location register provides a series of redirections, each
contingent upon the previous redirection going unanswered, and the
series of redirections may end in a voicemail. In some embodiments,
called party cell phone status information is reported to the
calling party prior to redirection. In some embodiments, called
party cell phone status information is reported to the calling
party concurrent with redirection from the called cell phone. In
some embodiments, each subsequent redirection is announced to the
calling party so that the calling party can decide to continue or
terminate the calling attempt. In some embodiments, called party
cell phone status information is reported to the calling party and
no redirection occurs.
Called party status information presentation module 323 extracts
called party status information 352 from received transfer/called
party status messages 350, controls the presentation of the message
to the calling party, e.g., in terms of time of presentation, e.g.,
prior to any call transfer operation or during a call transfer
operation, and/or in terms of format of presentation, e.g., voice
model used to generate the message, and the called party status
information presentation module 323 implements the presentation to
the calling party. In some embodiments, the formatting of
presentation is performed in the cellular network of the called
cell phone, and the called party status information presentation
module 323 acts as a conduit presenting the formatted message to
the calling party when directed.
FIG. 4 is a drawing of an exemplary cell phone, e.g., mobile node,
400, implemented in accordance with the present invention and using
methods of the present invention. Exemplary mobile node 400 may be
any of the exemplary mobile nodes (114, 116, 118, 120, 122, 124,
128, 130, 132, 134, 136, 138) of FIG. 1. Exemplary mobile node 400
includes a wireless receiver module 402, a wireless transmitter
module 404, user I/O devices 406, a processor 408, and memory 410
coupled together via a bus 412 over which the various elements may
interchange data and information. The wireless receiver module 402
is coupled to a receive antenna 414 through which the mobile node
400 may receive downlink signals 444 from base stations. The
wireless transmitter module 404 is coupled to a transmit antenna
416 through which the mobile node can transmit uplink signals 442
to base stations. In some embodiments, the same antenna is used for
both the receiver module 402 and transmitter module 404.
User I/O devices 406 includes, e.g., microphone, speaker, keypad,
switches, displays, camera input, etc. through which an operator of
mobile node 400 can power on or power off MN 400, initiate calls,
accept calls, direct calls to be transferred, view information
related to calls such as calling party number, missed call
information, received called party state information, send and
receiver user voice and data information, terminate calls, and
initiate shutdowns.
Memory 410 includes routines 418 and data/information 420. The
processor 408, e.g., a CPU, executes the routines 418 and uses the
data/information 420 in memory 410 to control the operation of the
mobile node 400 and implement the methods of the present invention.
Routines 418 includes a registration module 422, a mode control
module 424, an operator selected call forwarding module 430, a
downlink signaling control module 432, an uplink signaling control
module 434, and an I/O control module 435. Data/information 420
includes MN data/information 436, and system information 438. MN
data/information 436 includes state information 440, uplink signals
442, downlink signals 444, and session user/device/assignment
information 446.
State information 440 includes current status information 450 and
BS identification information 452. Current cell phone status
information 450 includes, e.g., information identifying current
ON/OFF status, information identifying registration status, e.g.,
unregistered, in process of registering, registered, information
further defining a registered powered on state of operation, e.g.,
actively participating in a call, available to receive a call,
temporarily unavailable to receive a call based on poor reception,
temporarily unable to receive a call based on user selection, in
the process of a call set-up, in the process of a call termination.
Base station identification information 452 includes information
identifying the specific base station from among a plurality of
base stations in the cellular communications system, the specific
base station being the base station at which the cell phone is
currently registered to use as its point of network attachment
otherwise referred to as its access point. A base station is
sometimes referred to as an access node.
Uplink signals 442 include registration request messages 456,
incoming call acceptance signals 462, incoming call transfer
signals 464, user voice/data signals 466, call termination signals
468 and outgoing call initiation signals 470. Downlink signals 444
include registration acknowledgement messages 476, call initiation
signals 482, user voice/data signals corresponding to answered
calls 484, missed call signals 486, and received called party
status signals 488, e.g., messages conveying called party state
information.
Registration module 422 controls registration operations of cell
phone 400 with base stations, e.g., when the cell phone 400 is
powered on, and/or when cell phone 400 moves from one cell to
another cell. Registration module 422 generates registration
request messages 456 which are sent to base stations and receives
registration acknowledgement messages 476 from the base station
signifying acceptance of the registration request.
Mode control module 424 controls mode changes in the cell phone,
e.g., implementing a power on command, implementing a call
initiation, implementing a call termination. Mode control module
424 may generate call termination signals 468, outgoing call
initiation signals 470 and process received call initiation signals
482.
Operator selected call forwarding module 430 receives user input
directing an incoming call or call to be transferred, and then
generates incoming call transfer signals 464. For example, the user
of MN 400, a powered on currently registered MN, may decide to
temporarily transfer each of the incoming calls so as not to be
disturbed, e.g., during a meeting, or to stop his/her cell phone
from ringing. Alternatively, a user may decide to transfer a
particular incoming call, e.g., based upon a recognized caller
identification. Or the user may decide to transfer incoming calls,
based on the fact that the user is currently located at the site of
a landline phone to which the incoming call will be redirected, and
the user recognizes that he/she will have superior line quality by
using the landline to receive the incoming call instead of the cell
phone to which the call is directed.
Downlink signaling control module 432 controls the operation of
wireless receiver module 402 and the reception of downlink signals
444. Uplink signaling control module 434 controls the operation of
wireless transmitter module 404 and the transmission of uplink
signals 442. I/O control module 435 controls the operation of user
I/O devices 406.
Missed call signals 486 include information collected by alerting
module 222 of home location register node 200, which may be used to
notify mobile node 400 of calls that were not successfully
completed to MN 400, e.g., for any of a number of various reasons
such as MN off, MN busy with another call, MN unreachable due to
system conditions, MN unreachable due to user selection, etc.
Missed call signals 486 may include calling party identification
information, date and time tag information, and/or called party
status information presented to the calling party. Information in
missed call signals 486 is presented to the user via user I/O
devices 406 under the control of I/O control module 435.
Received called party status signals 488 includes messages directed
to MN 400, when MN 400 has initiated a call to another cell phone,
and the call cannot be completed to the other cell phone. Received
called party status signals 488 includes messages explaining the
reason why the call was not completed to cell phone, e.g., phone
off, phone busy, phone inaccessible due to poor reception, call
being transferred due to a landline due to operator choice, phone
inaccessible due to cell loading consideration.
Session user/device/assignment information 446 includes information
identifying routing and peer nodes in communications sessions with
MN 400, assignment information assigned by a base station scheduler
to MN 400 to be used to establish a call and/or to be used during
an established call. Uplink user voice/data signals 466 and
downlink user voice/data signals 484 include the payload
information being conveyed between the calling party and the called
party during an established call.
System information 438 includes a plurality of sets of base station
information (BS1 information 490, BS N information 492). Each set
of BS information (490, 492) corresponding to one of the base
stations that exists in the wireless communications system at which
MN 400 can attempt to register through and use as its point of
network attachment. Each set of information (490, 492) may include
information pertinent to the base station, e.g., base station
identifier, frequencies used, etc.
FIG. 5 is a drawing of an exemplary base station (access node) 500,
implemented in accordance with the present invention and using
methods of the present invention. Exemplary base station 500 may be
any of the base stations (106, 108) of system 100 of FIG. 1.
Exemplary base station 500 includes a wireless receiver module 502,
a wireless transmitter module 504, an I/O interface module 506, a
processor 508, and memory 510 coupled together via a bus 512 over
which the various elements may interchange data and information.
Memory 510 includes routines 514 and data/information 516.
The processor 508, e.g., a CPU, executes the routines 514 and uses
the data/information 516 in memory 510 to control the operation of
the base station 500 and implement the methods of the present
invention. The wireless receiver module 502 is coupled to a receive
antenna 503 through which the base station 500 receives uplink
signals from a plurality of cell phones, e.g., mobile nodes. The
wireless transmitter module 504 is coupled to a transmit antenna
505 through which the base station transmits downlink signals to
mobile nodes. The I/O interface module 506 couples the base station
500 to other network nodes, e.g., router nodes, home location
register nodes, network interface nodes, etc., thus facilitating
connectivity between a cell phone, e.g., mobile node, in the cell
serviced by BS 500 with other cell phones in different cells and/or
with landline phones in a landline communications network.
Routines 514 include a registration module 518, a mobile node
status update module 520, a scheduler 522, and a communications
module 524. Data/information 516 includes system data/information
526 and mobile node data/information 528.
Registration module 518 performs registration control operations
including: receiving registration request messages 560 from MNs,
considering received registration requests, generating and
transmitting registration acknowledgement messages 578 to MNs,
generating and sending registration/status messages 542 to home
location register nodes. The registration module 518 also stores
state information for registered MNs, e.g., home location register
address 554. MN status update module 520 controls operations
including: receiving and processing uplink signals indicative of MN
status changes including: incoming call acceptance signals 566,
incoming call transfer signals 568, call termination signal's 572,
and outgoing call initiation signals 574. MN status update module
520 also determines system loading and system interference levels.
Based on received and determined information in view of the
criteria stored in the base station, the MN status update module
520 changes current status information, e.g., information 556
associated with MN 1, and generates and sends MN status messages
544 to home location register nodes. Scheduler 522 schedules
assignments to registered MNs in its cell. Scheduler 522 processes
received call establishment signals 546 from home location register
nodes and responds to incoming call acceptance signals 566 from
MNs. Communications module 524 controls operations of wireless
receiver module 502, wireless transmitter module 504, and I/O
interface module 506, implements communication protocols used by
the base station, performs conversion operations. Communications
module 524 implements signaling operations including control and
information signaling conveying registration status and/or transfer
signaling as well as user voice/data signaling.
System data information 526 includes loading information 530 and
interference information 532. Loading information 530 includes
information identifying when the cell capacity is saturated, and a
call to a mobile node cannot be completed. Interference information
532 includes information identifying current levels of air link
interference. Interference information 532 includes information
identifying when the level of interference is such that a call
should not be attempted to be completed to a called mobile node
because the interference will prevent the call from completing,
will prevent the call from being maintained, or is expected to
result in unacceptably low call quality. In some embodiments,
interference information 532 also includes information identifying
when the level of interference is sufficient to support, complete,
and maintain a call to a cell phone with at least minimally
acceptable call quality, but it might be advantageous to route the
call to an alternate landline phone instead of the cell phone to
achieve a higher level of call quality.
MN data/information 528 includes a plurality of sets of
data/information (MN 1 data/information 534, MN N data/information
536). MN 1 data/information 534 includes state information 538,
session user/device/assignment information 540, registration/status
messages to home location register 542, MN status messages 544,
received call establishment signals from home location registers
546, user voice/data signals 548, uplink signals 550 and downlink
signals 552.
State information 538 includes home location register address 554
and current status information 556. Home location register address
554 is the address of the home location register node 200 which is
the home location register for MN 1. Current status information 556
is information identifying the status of MN 1. Some exemplary
statuses of MN 1 may include, e.g., the following: in the process
of registration operations, registered ON and available to accept a
call, registered and ON but currently unavailable to accept a call
due to poor reception, registered and ON but currently unable to
accept a new call due to an ongoing call in progress, registered
and ON but currently not responding, e.g., called party is not
answering an attempted call that is ringing the cell phone,
registered and ON but not accepting calls due to operator commands,
de-registered by BS 500 due to no received signals for a specified
length of time currently registered and powered on but unable to
receive calls due to base station cell capacity saturation,
currently registered and powered on but unable to receive calls due
to high levels of interference, etc.
Session/user/device/assignment information 540 includes information
pertaining to active sessions, e.g., calls in progress such as the
phone number, address, and/or routing information associated with
the peer in the communications session, assignments associated with
the communications session.
Registration/status messages to the home location register 542 and
MN status messages 544 are messages generated by the base station
and transmitted via I/O interface module 506 to MN 1's home
location register node 200. Received call establishment signals 546
are received via I/O interface module 506 from MN 1's home location
register node 200. (Registration/status messages 542, MN status
messages 544, and received call establishment signals 546) in base
station 500 correspond to (received registration/status messages
234, MN status messages 238, and call establishment signals 237),
respectively in home location register node 200, which have been
previously described, and the description shall not be repeated for
the purposes of brevity.
User/voice data signals 548 include completed call payload
information being communicated via base station 500 from or to MN
1. Some user voice/data signals 548 may have been forwarded through
home location register node 200, while other voice/data signals 548
may have bypassed the home location register node 200 in the signal
routing path, the signal routing path being a portion of the
communications path, between MN 1 and the peer node in the
communications session with MN 1. For example, the portion of the
communications path may be between the base station 500 and a
cellular network interface node. User/voice data signals 548
includes received user voice/data signals which communications
module 524 converts to downlink user voice/data signals for MN1,
and transmitted user voice/data signals which communications module
524 has generated from received UL user voice/data signals from MN
1.
Uplink signals 550 include registration request messages 560,
incoming call acceptance signals 566, incoming call transfer
signals 568, uplink user/voice data signals 570, call termination
signals 572, and outgoing call initiation signals 574. Uplink
signals 550 are received from MN 1 via antenna 503 and wireless
receiver module 502. Downlink signals 552 include registration
acknowledgement messages 578, call initiation signals 584, downlink
user voice/data signals 586, missed call signals 588, and received
party status signals 590. Downlink signals 552 are generated by
base station 500 and transmitted via wireless transmitter module
504 and transmit antenna 505 to mobile node 1. Similarly named
signals in uplink signals 550 and downlink signals 552 in base
station 500 correspond to similarly named signals in uplink signals
442 and downlink signals 444 in MN 400, which have been described
in detail with respect to MN 400, and thus the descriptions shall
not be repeated for purposes of brevity.
FIG. 6 illustrates the various steps 600 of the communications
service of the present invention which can be used to service cell
phone calls. The method shown in FIG. 6 may be implemented by the
communications system shown in FIG. 1 when operated in accordance
with the invention. The method starts in step 602 in which the
various system components are initialized for service. Once active,
a network component, e.g., the HLR node 166 which is accessed to
obtain information used to route cell phone calls, monitors for
call establishment signals used to establish a call to a cell phone
corresponding to a telephone number of a service subscriber. The
establishment signal, e.g., a signal sent to the HLR node 166 to
determine which cell a call should be routed to, normally includes
the called party telephone number which can be used to identify a
call directed to a service subscriber. In step 604, the HLR node
can detect a call to a service subscriber by comparing the called
party telephone number to a set of telephone numbers corresponding
to cell phone service subscribers who also subscribe to the service
of the present invention. For each detected call to a service
subscriber cell phone, operation proceeds to step 606. In step 606,
the HLR node determines if the called subscriber's cell phone is
on. This can be done by checking phone status information stored in
the HLR node's database. The database is periodically updated based
on information received from the various base stations to which the
HLR node 166 is coupled directly or indirectly.
If it is determined that the called subscriber's cell phone is not
active, operation proceeds from step 606 to step 622 via GOTO step
607. However, if it is determined that the subscriber's cell phone
is on, operation proceeds from step 606 to step 608. In step 608, a
determination is made as to whether a call can be successfully
completed to the cell phone, e.g., a determination is made as to
whether reception at the cell phone is good enough for the call to
be received reliably. This determination may be done based on
status information supplied by a base station which periodically
receives status signals from the cell phone, with a failure to
receive a status signal indicating that the cell phone is
unavailable for call completion. If it is determined in step 608
that a cell phone call can not be successfully completed to the
called cell phone, operation proceeds to step 630 where the reason
the cell phone which is on can not be reached is determined. For
example, it may be determined in step 630 that the cell phone is on
but temporarily unreachable due to poor reception at the phone's
current location or due to excessive cellular call volume in the
cell where the phone is located. Operation proceeds from step 630
to step 632 where the determined reason why the call can not be
successfully completed to the "on" cell phone is communicated to a
control module used to control call processing. This module may be
in the HLR node 166 or located elsewhere in the system, e.g., in a
service control point or Intelligent peripheral device used to
control call processing. Operation proceeds from step 632 to step
622 via GOTO node 607.
If in step 608, it is determined that a call to the called cell
phone can be successfully completed, operation proceeds to step
610. In step 610 the BS in the cell in which the called cell phone
is located is operated to signal the called cell phone and to
indicate that there is an incoming call from a called party, e.g.,
a calling party identified by a calling party telephone number
which is communicated to the called cell phone.
In step 612, the base station which transmitted the call signal,
e.g., BS 106, monitors for a response from the called party, e.g.,
a signal from the called cell phone indicating that the call was
answered or call disposition information indicated by the called
party by making a call disposition selection without answering the
call, e.g., by selecting a send-to-voice-mail, forward-call or
reject-call option on the cell phone which is communicated to the
BS 106. This call disposition information may be made after caller
ID information is displayed to the called party on the cell phone
to which the call was directed.
If in step 612, it is determined that the cell phone call was
answered, operation proceeds to step 614. In step 614 the answered
call is allowed to complete in the normal manner, e.g., with one of
the call participates terminating the call by hanging up or
selecting an end call option. From step 614 the method proceeds to
step 650 in which processing of the received call stops.
If in step 612 it is determined that the call has not been
answered, e.g., after a signal from the called cell phone has not
been received answering the call within a predetermined amount of
time, operation proceeds to step 616. In step 616, a signal is sent
to the call processing control device, e.g., HLR node 166,
indicating that a no-answer-call status has been determined.
Operation proceeds from step 616 to step 622.
If in step 612 it is determined that call disposition information
has been received by the BS 102 in response to the call directed to
the called party, operation proceeds to step 620. In step 620 a
signal is sent by the BS 106 to the call processing control module,
e.g., in the HLR node 166, indicating a no-answer-call status and
providing user supplied call disposition information, e.g., forward
call to voice mail or forward to another number. Operation then
proceeds to step 622.
In step 622, a determination is made as to whether the calling
party number, available from caller ID information, corresponds to
a number which is not to be provide phone status information.
Caller telephone numbers which are not to be supplied telephone
status information in accordance with the invention may be listed
in a set of subscriber information stored, e.g., in the HLR node in
association with the subscriber's number or at some other location
accessible to the call processing control module. Alternatively,
caller telephone numbers to which the phone status information is
to be provided can be stored and all other caller telephone numbers
can be treated as numbers to which the phone status information is
not to be provided. This is particularly useful in cases where the
phone status information is to be supplied to friends and family
but not other callers. Numbers to which telephone status
information is not to be provided may be considered as blocked
numbers as opposed to calling party numbers which may be supplied
with cell phone state information.
If the calling party number is a telephone number which is not
blocked from being provided phone status, e.g., active state,
information, operation proceeds to step 624. In step 624, the
calling party is supplied with an audio message indicating the
status for the called party's cell phone. The message may indicate
that the called party's cell phone is: off; on but there is no
answer; on but temporarily unreachable; on but busy; on but has
activated call forwarding; or on but has activated forwarding to
voice mail. The HLR node 166 can include a message generation
module for providing such messages to the caller, an intelligent
peripheral device may be used to generate the messages or another
device, under control of the call processing control module
responsible for controlling call processing, may be used to
generate the audio message. Operation proceeds from step 624 to
step 640.
If in step 622, it was determined that the calling party number was
a number to which telephone status information was not to be
provided, operation would have proceeded directly from step 622 to
step 640. In step 640 a determination is made as to whether or not
the called party indicated a call disposition operation. If no call
disposition option was specified by the called party, operation
proceeds from step 640 to step 642 in which the caller is provided
an opportunity to be transferred to voice mail. This can be done by
announcing to the caller that they can hang up or hold to be
transferred to voice mail. Assuming that the caller selects to hold
and be transferred to voice mail, operation proceeds to step 644
with transfer to voice mail being the call disposition to be
implemented.
If in step 640, the called party indicated a call disposition
option, operation proceeds from step 640 to step 644 with the
called party selected call disposition option being the option to
be implemented. In step 644, an announcement is played to the
calling party indicating the call disposition being implemented,
e.g., one of transfer to voice mail, forwarding to another number,
or call termination. Operation proceeds from step 644 to step 646
in which the announced call disposition option is implemented,
e.g., the call is forwarded to voice mail, forwarded to a number
indicated by the called party, or terminated. Processing of the
received call then stops in step 650.
In the above described manner, a calling party can be provided more
information about the status of a cell phone than is normally
available in current systems. Knowing that the cell phone is
temporarily unreachable due to poor reception or because of cell
loading conditions can encourage the caller to call back in a short
amount of time or make an informed decision as to whether the
caller would prefer to be transferred to voice mail.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart 700 of an exemplary method of operating a
home location register node in accordance with the present
invention. The home location register node may be one of a
plurality of home location register nodes in a wireless cellular
communications system, each home location register node responsible
for storing and maintaining state information on a number of cell
phones, e.g., mobile nodes. Operation starts in step 702, where the
home location register node is powered on and initialized. The home
location register node may have been previously assigned a set of
mobile nodes, e.g., cell phones, and calls directed to the phone
number assigned to the assigned set of mobile nodes will be
directed to the home location register node for further routing,
e.g., to one of a plurality of base stations in the cellular
system. From start step 702 operation proceeds to steps 704, 706,
and 708.
In step 704, the home location register node is operated to monitor
and receive MN registration/status signals from BSs. Operation
proceeds from step 704 to step 710 for each received registration.
In step 710, the home location register node is operated to store
registration and status information on an MN. For example, the
registration signaling may identify that the MN has registered to
use a specific base station within the cellular system as its point
of network attachment, and that the MN is currently available to
receive incoming calls. Operation proceeds from step 710 to step
712, in which the home location register node is operated to
maintain registration/status information on the MN. This status
information is updated periodically based on status information
received from one or more BSs which are received in step 706.
In step 706, the home location register node is operated to monitor
and receive MN status messages from BSs, e.g., status messages
reporting a change of status of an MN already registered with the
BS. For example, a status message may indicate that a MN is still
registered, but is temporarily unavailable to receive an incoming
call, e.g., due to poor reception, due to high system interference
levels, due to user choice, due to an in progress call, due to high
system loading, etc. Other exemplary updates of status information
may include an indication that the MN is unavailable to receive
incoming calls because the MN is no longer registered because the
BS has de-registered the MN because the BS has not received any
signaling from the MN for a specified time interval and assumes
that the MN has either powered down or left its cellular coverage
region. Operation proceeds from step 706 to step 714, in which the
home location register node is operated to update the MN status
information that it is maintaining based on the information
received in step 706. The monitoring in step 706 is performed on an
ongoing basis.
In step 708, the home location register node is operated to monitor
and receive a request to complete a call to a MN, the called MN
being one of the MNs whose home location register is the home
location register node. The calling party can be a landline phone
with the call placement request being communicated via a central
office mode in a landline network or the calling party can be
another MN, e.g., cell phone, in the wireless communications
network with call initiation signaling being routed through a base
station. Operation proceeds from step 708 to step 716.
In step 716, the home location register node is operated to check
the stored MN status information to determine if a call can be
attempted. In some embodiments optional steps 718 and 720 are
performed. Operation proceeds from step 716 to step 718. In step
718, the home location register node, signals the MN's current
attachment point base station to request new status information,
and in step 720, the home location register node receives and
processes any new status information from the MN attachment point
BS. Operation proceeds from step 720 to step 722.
In step 722, the home location register node is operated to check
if the call can be attempted based on the status information
corresponding to the MN, e.g., if the registration information
indicates that the MN is on, registered with a BS, and is not
temporarily unavailable. If the home location register node
determines that the call cannot be attempted based on the MN status
information, e.g., MN not currently registered or MN registered but
unavailable for any of a number of reasons operation proceeds to
step 724, otherwise operation proceeds to step 726. In step 726,
the home location register node sends call establishment signals to
the called MN's registered BS. Operation proceeds from step 726 to
step 728, where the home location register node checks if the
called MN is ringing. If in step 728, it is determined that the
called MN is not ringing operation proceeds to step 724, otherwise
operation proceeds to step 730. In step 730, the home location
register node checks as to whether the call was answered by the
called MN. If in step 730, it was determined that the call was not
answered within a predetermined time then operation proceeds to
step 724; otherwise, operation proceeds to step 732. In accordance
with the invention, a called party can respond by providing call
disposition information without answering a call. Alternatively,
the called party can enter call disposition information, e.g.,
forward to a particular landline number when on but temporarily
unavailable or on but busy. Different call forwarding numbers can
be provided for different conditions. In step 732, the home
location register node is operated to cause forwarding of user
voice signals between the called and calling parties. In some
embodiments the user voice signals do not traverse the home
location register node, but are routed via addressing information
obtained from the home location register node. In other
embodiments, the home location register node acts as the forwarding
device.
Operation proceeds in the case of a no answer condition from step
728 or step 730 to step 724. Operation also proceeds in the case of
an unattempted call from step 722 to step 724. In step 724, the
home location register node is operated to identify the likely
reason why the call was not attempted or was not answered based on
the stored MN status information and information obtained from
steps 722, 728, and/or 730. Exemplary reasons why the call was not
answered include: high cell loading conditions, cell phone not
currently registered, cell phone had been turned off, cell phone
assumed off, cell phone temporarily in a location with poor
reception, high system interference levels in cell, cell phone
ringing but called party did not answer, called party provided call
disposition information instructions rather than answer call,
called party currently participating in an ongoing call.
Operation proceeds from step 724 to step 734. In some embodiments,
some but not all cell phone subscribers may subscribe to a called
party state forwarding service for unanswered calls. In step 734,
the home location register node is operated to check as to whether
the called MN is an MN for which called party cell phone state
information forwarding is to be provided. In some embodiments, the
called party state forwarding service for unanswered calls may be
included as a built in feature of a service provider plan, e.g., a
standard default feature of the service provider plan included
without a specific line item charge for the feature. This feature
may be supplied in combination with call forwarding to voice mail
and/or selective call forwarding to numbers designated by the
subscriber. If the called MN does have the state forwarding service
for unanswered calls, then operation proceeds from step 734 to step
736; otherwise operation proceeds from step 734 to step 740.
In step 736, the home location register node checks if the called
state forwarding should be blocked. For example, in some
embodiments the called party may have subscribed to a state
information blocking feature as well as the main state information
service. Step 736 may include checking the calling party ID to
determine if it is on a list of numbers to be denied cell phone
state information. Alternatively, the calling party may be compared
to a list of numbers to be provided cell phone state information,
with all other numbers being treated as blocked. For example, in
general the called party may desire that cell phone state
information pertaining to unanswered calls be forwarded to the
calling party to increase the likelihood that the calling party,
e.g., a close family member, a friend, an associate, a client, a
perspective customer, etc., will reattempt the call. However, there
may be some individuals for which the reverse is true, e.g., a
pesky relative, a persistent salesman, a demanding boss, a bill
collector, an ex-boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife, etc., in which
the blocking feature would be advantageous. Using lists of the
calling party numbers, information can be blocked or provided as
desired by the subscriber. In addition, at some times, e.g., on a
vacation, an individual may not want to be reached by one or more
individuals in which case the blocking feature would also be
advantageous. In some embodiments, the called party subscribing to
the blocking service can select in advance calling party numbers
and/or times for which to apply the blocking service. In some
embodiments, the called party can decide when the called cell phone
rings, e.g., via a user ID feature, whether called party state
information forwarding to the calling party should be blocked. In
some such embodiments, the called party can, without answering the
call, input a command to the mobile node, e.g., cell phone,
resulting in signaling being directed to the home location register
node signifying the intention to apply the blocking feature.
If in step 736, the home location register node determines that the
state forwarding should be blocked then operation proceeds to step
740; otherwise operation proceeds to step 738.
In step 738, the home location register node is operated to
generate and send an audio message to the calling party which
includes inferred called party state information, e.g., that the
called party is temporarily unavailable or is expected to be
unavailable for an extended period of time. The message may also
include the mobile node state information indicating the reason the
called party is unavailable and indicate how long the called party
has been unavailable, e.g., by communicating the time when the
called party became unavailable or the total time the called party
has been unavailable. For example, the message may indicate "the
called party is temporarily unavailable due to signal interference
and has been unavailable since 5 pm" or "the called party is
temporarily unavailable due to signal interference and has been
unavailable for the last 3 minutes". In the case where long term
unavailability has been inferred, the message may be, for example,
"The called party is presently unavailable due to signal
interference and is expected to be unavailable for an extended
period of time. The called party has been unavailable for the last
40 minutes." Obviously, numerous variations on the message and its
contents are possible.
Operation proceeds from step 738 to step 740. In step 740 the home
location register node is operated to determine whether the called
party indicated a call disposition option. If the called party did
not indicate a call disposition option, then operation proceeds
from step 740 to step 742; otherwise, operation proceeds from step
740 to step 744. In step 742 the home location register node is
operated to provide the caller with an opportunity to be
transferred to voice mail. Operation proceeds from step 742 to step
744. In step 744, the home location register node is operated to
announce the call disposition being implemented, e.g., transfer to
voice mail, forwarding to another number or call termination.
Operation proceeds from step 744 to step 746. In step 746, the home
location register node is operated to implement the announced call
disposition of step 744. Operation proceeds from step 746 to step
750, where the home location register node stops processing of the
received call.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart 800 of an exemplary method of operating a
cell phone, e.g., mobile node, in accordance with the present
invention. The mobile node may be one of a plurality of mobile
nodes in a wireless cellular communications system. Operation
starts in step 802, where the mobile node is powered on and
initialized. Operation proceeds from step 802 to step 804. In step
804, the mobile node is operated to generate and send a
registration request signal to a base station, e.g., to the base
station that the mobile node desires to use as its point of network
attachment, in whose cellular coverage region the mobile node is
currently located. Operation proceeds from step 804 to step
806.
In step 806, the mobile node is operated to receive a registration
acknowledgement signal from the base station in response to the
registration request signal, indicating that the base station has
accepted the mobile node and that mobile node registration
information is being or has been communicated to the MN's home
location register node. If the base station had received the
registration request signal or had received the registration
request and had decided not to accept the MN for registration, the
base station may not communicate a registration acknowledgement
signal, and the mobile node may attempt to repeat step 804 at a
later time, e.g., on an iterative basis until a positive
registration acknowledgement is received from a base station.
With registration having been completed in step 806, operation
proceeds from step 806 to steps 810, 812, 814, and 818 which
correspond to processes which may occur in parallel during the
period of mobile node operation.
In step 810, the MN is operated to monitor and receive call
initiation signals from the base station directed to the MN.
Operation proceeds from step 810 to step 824. In step 824, the MN
is operated to decide if the phone of the called party, e.g., cell
phone owner, should be rung. In some embodiments, the MN, having
received a call initiation signal may decide not to ring the user,
e.g., based upon a user prior input command to redirect received
calls and/or to screen incoming calls, based upon current reception
conditions. If the MN decides in step 824 to ring the called party,
operation proceeds from step 824 to step 826; otherwise operation
proceeds from step 824 to step 828.
In step 826, the MN tests if the call is answered. If the MN
detects that the call is being answered in step 826, then operation
proceeds to step 830; otherwise operation proceeds to step 828. In
step 830, the MN is operated to send incoming call acceptance
signals to the base station, and then in step 832 the MN sends and
receives user voice/data signals as the MN participates in a
communication session with the calling party. Operation proceeds
from step 832 to step 834. In step 834, the MN is operated to
generate/send call termination signals to the base station, e.g.,
the call termination signals being in response to the MN user
hanging-up. Operation proceeds from step 834 to step 829, where the
mobile node stops processing of the call.
Returning to step 828, in step 828 the MN checks whether the MN has
received MN operator call disposition input. The input may have
been received prior to or subsequent to the reception of the call
initiation signal corresponding to the call. For example, a MN user
may have decided prior to the incoming call under consideration to
temporarily transfer each of the incoming calls or may have
selected, e.g., by calling party number, incoming calls to receive.
As another example, a mobile node user may have decided after the
ringing to transfer a specific call, e.g., based upon caller ID
info, based upon inconvenient timing, or based upon knowledge that
the mobile node user is currently located at the site of a landline
phone to which the call will be transferred resulting in superior
call quality, and the mobile node user may have performed an input
operation on his/her mobile node, e.g., cell phone, to initiate the
transfer operation.
If in step 828, no input was received from the user of the mobile
node, processing of the incoming call stops in step 829. However,
monitoring in step 810 for additional calls will continue. However
if in step 828, it is determined that the MN operator has input a
call disposition input applicable to the received incoming call,
operation proceeds to step 836. In step 836, the MN is operated to
generate and signal the BS with the incoming call
status/disposition information. Operation proceeds from step 836 to
step 829.
Returning to step 812, in step 812, which may be performed
periodically while the MN is turned on, the MN is operated to send
status signals to the base station, e.g., a signal indicating that
the MN is present and active.
Referring now to step 814, in step 814 the MN is operated to
generate outgoing call initiation signals in response to MN user
input, e.g., the user places a call to another mobile node, e.g.,
another cell phone, or to a landline phone. Operation proceeds from
step 814 to step 840. In step 840, the MN checks whether the call
is answered. If the call is answered operation proceeds from step
840 to step 842; otherwise operation proceeds to step 844. In step
842, the MN is operated to participate in a communication session
with the called party. In step 844, the MN is operated to receive
called party status signals, if communicated to the MN. For
example, the called party may be another MN which has the "called
party unanswered call state forwarding service," and the home
location register node of that called MN may send a message
indicating a specific reason why the call was unanswered, e.g.,
current reception is poor.
Returning to step 818, in step 818 the MN is operated to monitor
and receive missed call signals. The missed call signals may
include information showing the calling party identification
information, e.g., phone number, date/time tag information, reason
for the missed call, call transfer information, and/or called party
state information communicated to the calling party. In response to
received missed-call signals, operation proceeds from step 818 to
step 848. In step 848, the MN is operated to present missed-call
signal information to the MN user.
FIG. 9 is a drawing of an exemplary database 900 implemented in
accordance with the present invention and using methods of the
present invention. In some embodiments, exemplary database 900 is
included as part of a home location registration node, e.g.,
exemplary home location registration node 200 of FIG. 2. In some
embodiments, exemplary database 900 is located outside of the home
location registration node. In some embodiments, the home location
registration node uses the information included in database 900 to
perform the methods of the present invention including determining
called cell phone status and making inferences about the called
party's status, e.g., whether the called party is temporarily
unavailable or is expected to be unavailable for a long period of
time. The stored information may include information indicating the
time the called party became unavailable for a particular reason.
It may also include information indicating the desired call
disposition to be performed when the called party is unavailable.
Different call dispositions may depend on whether the called party
is inferred to be temporarily unavailable, as compared to when the
called party is inferred to be unavailable for an extended period
of time. For example, in the case of temporary unavailability or
unavailability due to signal interference, the called party may
specify that the incoming call be transferred to a landline phone
if one has been specified, while in the case of long term
unavailability the called party may set information indicating that
the call is to be transferred to voice mail.
Database 900 includes a plurality of sets of information
(information set 1 902, information set N 902'), each set
corresponding to a cellular telephone number for which the "called
party cell phone state/inferred called party status information
forwarding service" is implemented. First information set 902
includes cellular telephone number 1 904, registration status 906,
device power status (e.g., on/off) 908, call status (busy/not busy)
910, time last voice session terminated (e.g., time completed call
ended) 912, signal interference level 914, time signal interference
caused phone to become unreachable 916, signal reception level
(e.g., measured received signal strength) 918, time signal
reception level caused phone to become unreachable 920, cellular
system call loading information 922, and time cellular system call
loading began interfering with call completion 924. Nth information
set 902' includes cellular telephone number N 904', registration
status 906', device power status (e.g., on/off) 908', call status
(busy/not busy) 910', time last voice session terminated (e.g.,
time completed call ended) 912', signal interference level 914',
time signal interference caused phone to become unreachable 916',
signal reception level (e.g., measured received signal strength)
918', time signal reception level caused phone to become
unreachable 920', cellular system call loading information 922',
and time cellular system call loading began interfering with call
completion 924'.
FIG. 10 is a flowchart 1000 of an exemplary called party state
inference routine in accordance with the present invention. The
method of the steps of flowchart 1000 may be performed by a home
location registration node, e.g., node 200 of FIG. 2, implemented
in accordance with the present invention. In accordance with the
method shown in FIG. 10, user unavailability for an extended period
of time, e.g., more than a threshold period which can be specified
by the user in some embodiments or set by the system, results in an
inference that the called party's unavailability is long term.
However, in the case of the unavailability having only just
occurred, or having a duration less than the predetermined
threshold, it is usually inferred, if the called party's cell phone
is registered, that the unavailability is temporary. Thus, while
the called party may be unavailable for a particular reason,
additional information, such as the duration for which the called
party has been unavailable, can produce an inference of temporary
or long term unavailability. In the case of an inference of
temporary unavailability this is usually communicated to the
calling party by an announcement that the called party is
"temporarily unavailable" with the reason being communicated in the
same message to the caller. In the case of inferred long term
unavailability, the caller may be notified that the party is
unavailable along with the reason that the called party is
unavailable, e.g., the calling party may receive an audio
announcement that "the called party is currently unavailable due to
signal interference". The amount of time the called party has been
unavailable due to the particular condition may also be
communicated to the calling party in the case of an inference of
either temporary or long term unavailability because of a
particular condition. For example, the calling party may be played
the message "the called party is unavailable due to signal
interference and has been unavailable for the last 5 minutes".
Operation of the called party state inference routine starts in
step 1002 and proceeds to step 1004. In step 1004 status
information is retrieved indicating the reason the call was not
successfully completed. If the retrieved status indicates that the
cell phone is registered and on but the call was not answered, then
operation proceeds from step 1004 to step 1006. If the retrieved
status indicates that the cell phone is off or is not registered,
operation proceeds from step 1004 to step 1008. If the retrieved
status indicates that the cell phone is registered and on but the
call is not able to be completed, then operation proceeds from step
1004 to step 1010.
In step 1006, a check is performed as to whether the unanswered
call is within a predetermined time of the last successfully
completed voice session. If the unanswered call was within a
predetermined time of last successfully completed call, then
operation proceeds from step 1006 to step 1012; otherwise operation
proceeds from step 1006 to step 1014.
Returning to step 1010, in step 1010 it is determined whether the
difference between the present time and time information associated
with status information indicating the reason the call cannot be
completed exceeds a predetermined threshold amount of time. If it
is determined that the difference exceeds the predetermined
threshold amount of time then operation proceeds from step 1010 to
step 1014; otherwise operation proceeds from step 1010 to step
1012.
If operation proceeds to step 1012, in step 1012 it is inferred
that the called party is temporarily unavailable. If operation
proceeds to step 1014, in step 1014 it is inferred that the called
party's unavailability is long term, e.g., more than a few minutes.
Operation proceeds from step 1012 or step 1014 to step 1016.
Returning to step 1008, in step 1008, it is inferred that the
called party is not accepting cell phone calls at the present time.
Operation proceeds from step 1008 to step 1016. In step 1016, the
routine returns the determined inferred called party state
information for communication to the calling party.
In various embodiments elements described herein are implemented
using one or more modules to perform the steps corresponding to one
or more methods of the present invention. Thus, in some embodiments
various features of the present invention are implemented using
modules. Such modules may be implemented using software, hardware
or a combination of software and hardware. Many of the above
described methods or method steps can be implemented using machine
executable instructions, such as software, included in a machine
readable medium such as a memory device, e.g., RAM, floppy disk,
etc. to control a machine, e.g., general purpose computer with or
without additional hardware, to implement all or portions of the
above described methods, e.g., in one or more nodes. Accordingly,
among other things, the present invention is directed to a
machine-readable medium including machine executable instructions
for causing a machine, e.g., processor and associated hardware
which may be part of a test device, to perform one or more of the
steps of the above-described method(s).
Numerous additional variations on the methods and apparatus of the
present invention described above will be apparent to those skilled
in the art in view of the above description of the invention. Such
variations are to be considered within the scope of the
invention.
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